


I Give You

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: First Time, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-11-27
Updated: 2002-11-27
Packaged: 2017-11-01 06:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/353056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The phrase had been nothing but an oxymoron since his mother had died . . .</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Give You

## I Give You

by Wavelength

<http://www.multiverses.50megs.com>

* * *

* * *

_Thanks, as always, to Iggy, Orchid, and Kit. Love you guys!_

_And to Annie, for the encouragement and kind words_

* * *

Lex stared down at the violet envelope lying squarely in the middle of his otherwise pristine desk, his name scrawled across it in a familiar looping script. A feeling of dread only Lionel had previously ever inspired knotted Lex's stomach. He had both hoped and feared that it would come to this. Frankly, he was rather surprised that it had taken this long. Grey eyes never leaving the envelope, the young businessman slowly slid into the chair behind his desk and gingerly picked it up. 

Holding the offending object in one hand, Lex traced the handwriting with the fingers of his other, and despite his deep-seated misgivings, he couldn't stop a helpless smile from twitching at his lips. Ah, Clark. Even with all that had happened between them lately, all of the secrets, all the lies, all the truths revealed and denied, just the thought of the boy still had the power to make Lex feel . . . good. And that terrified him like nothing else ever had. 

Impatiently pushing such thoughts away, Lex slit open the envelope with a razor-honed letter opener. A brightly colored card spilled out, and Lex flinched at the "Happy Birthday!" blazoned across the front of it. The phrase had been nothing but an oxymoron since his mother had died, an annual event so often ignored or abused by his father that Lex had destroyed all documentation with the date on it then had deliberately forgotten the day himself. Or tried to. The only other person who knew his birthday was today was Lionel, and he wasn't likely to tell Clark or anyone else unless it directly benefited him. How had Clark known? 

Lex turned the card over as if doing so would reveal the answer. As he did so, a white piece of notebook paper fluttered down onto the blotter. He set the card aside and picked up the folded sheet. It was covered front and back with the same handwriting as on the envelope. 

Lex swallowed hard. He was pretty damned sure he wasn't ready to read the words written there. He didn't think he'd ever be ready to find out how badly he had messed up the single, most precious friendship he'd ever had or was likely to have. He didn't know how he could have been so stupid. 

Whether it was plain loneliness or the increasingly powerful need to just connect with another person, or hell, even some crazy meteor-induced insanity, Lex knew there was no acceptable excuse for his behavior that night in the loft two weeks ago. Clark was his friend, his little brother, his father confessor. He was the only person who treated him honestly and fairly despite the Luthor track record. That should have been enough, more than, but Lex had never been one to be content with what he had. He always had to reach beyond that to what he thought he wanted instead. So in the middle of one of those comfortable, friendly silences that frequently settled between them, Lex had leaned over and kissed Clark. 

Clark hadn't responded to the kiss other than stiffening up in shock, but neither had he pushed Lex away in disgust. No, Lex had done a fine job of that on his own once he'd realized what he'd done. He'd jumped off the couch with a strangled apology and bolted down the stairs, Clark's shout chasing him across the yard to his car. He'd cursed himself all the way back to the castle, absolutely certain that he'd never see his friend again. If he'd been any one other than Lionel Luthor's son, he probably would have cried himself to sleep that night. Instead, he'd drunk himself into a stupor and passed out in an armchair in the library. 

Clark had surprised him one more time, though. He'd shown up in the library late the next morning, and after one look at Lex's haggard appearance, had clucked and fussed over him until Lex had managed to clean up and pull himself together a bit. Not a word was spoken about the kiss, and Lex had chosen to seen that as a sign that maybe their friendship could survive his indiscretion. 

That hope had been dashed in the following days. Lex would catch Clark watching him measuringly over coffee at the Talon or from the passenger seat of the Porsche or across the pool table as he set up another game. A determined light would flare in the green eyes, and Lex knew what the boy would say next. He always managed to change the subject or distract Clark in some other way before the words were spoken, but Lex knew that such tactics were only a temporary solution. Sooner or later, Clark would tire of this little dance and demand an explanation for that damnable lack of control. Apparently, that time had come, though Lex had to admit that a birthday card was a novel way to his attention. 

Steeling himself for the worst, Lex unfolded the letter and forced himself to read. 

>   
> _Dear Lex,  
> _
> 
> Happy Birthday! Heh. Bet you never thought I'd find out the date, did you? Hmmm, someone forgot that I'm friends with Chloe, didn't they? Never underestimate "Ace" Sullivan when she's on an investigative rampage, my friend. The CIA has nothing on her. 
> 
> And, um, I suppose I should warn you that since I roped Chloe into helping me find out your birthday, and she kind of told Lana, well, now pretty much the whole town knows, and there's going to be a party in your honor at the Talon tonight. Now, I guessing from all the secrecy surrounding your birth date and the fact that you haven't celebrated a birthday since you moved to Smallville that you're not big on birthday parties, but everybody has really put a lot of time and effort into making it perfect. Mom baked the cake, the Talon looks amazing, and you wouldn't believe the pile of presents stacked all over your favorite table. But I guess you'll never find out unless you show up. 7:00 p.m. Sharp. Oh, and it's casual dress, so if you have any jeans or t-shirts lurking in that huge walk-in closet of yours, now would be a good time to dust them off. Just a thought. 
> 
> Speaking of presents, only half of mine is waiting at the Talon. The other half you're holding in your hands right now. There's something I've been wanting to tell you, but every time I've tried, you've cut me off. Well, unless you stop reading right now, you're going to hear me now, Lex. And since there's no other way to really say it, I guess I'll just do it. 
> 
> I love you, Lex. I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time. I know you think you're bad for me, bad for anyone who gets close to you, but I know you're not. I know it, Lex, like I know water is wet and the earth is round. You are a good and decent person, you've just had to hide it because of Lionel. God, I hate him for that and for everything else he's ever done to you! But hide it is all you've done, baby. The goodness is there. It always has been. And I love that. I love all of you - from your bald head to your kind heart to your devious mind to your scarred soul. All of it, all of you. 
> 
> And I knew you loved me, too, even before the kiss. I've seen how you look at me when you think no one is watching. It's there every time you try to help my family, no matter how many times my dad's shot you down. I feel it when you show up at the loft at precisely the right time I need someone to talk to. You may have done bad things in your past, Lex, but all that is in the past. I want to be your future. I want you to be mine. 
> 
> So this is my birthday present to you. I give you my heart, my body, and my soul. I give you all the secrets and trust and truths I've kept from you for too long. All you have to do is come to the Talon tonight and claim them as your own. I'll be waiting for you. 
> 
> Love you,   
>  Clark

Letter clutched in one hand, Lex dropped his head down onto folded arms and silently shook. 

Long, lost moments later, he straightened, eyes red but dry, and checked his watch. 5:30. Plenty of time to get ready. He carefully folded the letter back into its original four quarters and tucked it and the card back into the envelope and slipped the entire bundle into his breast pocket. With a gentle pat to make sure it was safely in place, Lex rose to his feet and headed upstairs to his room. Casual dress, huh? He'd have to see what he could do. 

* * *

**"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEX!"**

The deafening roar nearly bowled Lex over the moment he stepped through the Talon's front doors. It wasn't the first time he'd been greeted in such a fashion, but it was the first time in recent memory the words had actually sounded sincere. Looking around at the smiling faces and the colorfully decorated shop, Lex had to admit that Clark was right. They had outdone themselves. They place hadn't looked this festive during spirit week, and whoever had picked out the music had excellent taste. He suspected Clark and Chloe had something to do with that. 

Lex was touched and impressed by all the obvious effort and shocked at the number of people who had actually showed. It was an eclectic mix of teenagers, farmers, and LexCorp employees, but all of them looked glad to be there. A genuine smile of happiness tugged at Lex's mouth. 

The smile turned to a chuckle at the amusement and amazement his attire caused the crowd - jeans and t-shirt, as requested, designer of course, but the principle remained. He let Lana take his leather coat and gracefully accepted a hug and a kiss on the cheek from her. He received more hugs and kisses from Chloe and Martha Kent, several girls he recognized from the failed field trip to the plant, Nell, and a few others he thought might be some of his plant worker's wives. Pete and Gabe Sullivan thumped him companionably on the back, Jonathan Kent actually shook his hand, and men he remembered showing up when he made the deal to save the plant all came up to him to personally wish him a happy day. 

Lex acknowledged them all as warmly as he knew how even as his eyes scanned the crowd for the one face he wanted to see more than anything. He finally spotted Clark standing casually at the coffee bar, a peaceful, contented look on his face. Murmuring an excuse to the well-wishers surrounding him, Lex started towards Clark, pulling the slightly battered purple envelope out of his pocked as he did so. He stopped directly in front of the tall teen and waved the object in his hand at him. 

"Did you mean it?" he asked quietly, long held doubts even now making him uncertain. 

Clark didn't answer with words. Reaching out to Lex, Clark pulled him into the circle of his arms. He tipped Lex's chin up with one finger and kissed him right there in front of everybody. A cheer loud enough to rival the earlier birthday greeting sounded behind them. The two broke the kiss with identical sappy smiles on their faces, but neither moved back from their close position. 

"I take that as a yes," Lex whispered a bit breathlessly. 

Clark answered with a gentle smile. "Happy Birthday, Lex. I love you." 

"Love you, too, Clark, I love you, too." 

The end. 


End file.
